At an early age, Charlie Benante had two driving passions: music and art. And he turned those childhood dreams into an amazing career. Not only has Charlie spent the better part of four decades as a musician, pounding the drums for metal legends Anthrax, he expressed his artistic nature by taking an active interest in the artwork and design of their album covers. And when the pandemic hit, he channeled his existential funk into collaborating on a series of cover songs that resulted in his new album "Silver Linings". Enjoy a strong cup of Charlie's coffee as he and Nick discuss the state of the music industry in 2021, teaching today's young women to believe in themselves, and finding love with a fellow nerd.
HIGHLIGHTS:
[07:30] The last time Charlie and Anthrax performed live was at the Dimebash in early 2020, right before the pandemic hit
[10:14] Touring the US post-pandemic is hard enough, but the logistics and potential risks of touring overseas before the pandemic ends are even more daunting
[11:19] Charlie's new release "Silver Linings" was never meant to be an actual album, it was more an effort to pull himself out of the existential dread surrounding the pandemic through his creativity
[13:22] Charlie laments that the first programs cut in school budgets are music and art, things that got him through his childhood
[14:38] Charlie looks back on the sad fates that befell some of the bands and artists from the early 90s
[16:06] Charlie explains the process of choosing the songs he wanted to cover for "Silver Linings", songs that meant something to him at the time of their release
[18:14] Charlie and his friend Andy mixed the new album, as parts were sent in from the various guest performers
[18:59] Charlie worked with a ton of amazing artists on "Silver Linings", including members of Skid Row and Suicidal Tendencies
[20:15] The new album is being released through Anthrax's label, on multi-colored vinyl only
[20:59] Charlie was very hands-on with their record labels when it came to album art, educating himself on the importance of colors and liner notes
[21:43] Charlie made sure to strike up friendships with the record label employees that he and the band interacted with, to make things operate smoothly for everyone involved
[22:48] This year Anthrax is releasing the graphic novel "Among The Living", a series of comic stories loosely based on songs from their album of the same name
[24:59] Charlie and his girlfriend Carla participated in an art show coordinated by "Punk Rock And Paintbrushes", who published a coffee table book based on the show
[25:47] When he was a kid, Charlie channeled his love of comic books and music into a direction for his future, a future he succeeded in creating
[27:16] Over ten years ago, Charlie's love of coffee led him to create his own brand and blends
[30:36] Anthrax has reached a milestone in rock history, celebrating forty years as a band
[31:26] Charlie and the members of Anthrax know that they're more than just a group of guys making music, they're a "gang" who are bonded for life, no matter what comes their way
[33:44] Charlie holds the record labels to blame for the collapse of physical media sales in the US
[35:51] Charlie loves seeing older fans bringing their kids to shows, creating a new generation of Anthrax followers
[37:10] When playing live, Charlie puts the limitations of his age aside to make sure the fans hear the signature hits and have a great time
[38:53] Charlie's new girlfriend Carla is just as much of a pop culture nerd as he is, the two of them spending their date nights drawing and binge-watching genre shows
[40:58] One of the most radical moments in Charlie's life was the loss of his father at five, a tragedy that impacted his family for years afterward
[43:30] Charlie doesn't see a hunger in the metal community anymore, that new signature sound that will revitalize the genre like Anthrax and Metallica did back in the day
[49:39] Charlie looks back fondly on the 1991 tour Anthrax did with Alice In Chains, when the bands would hang out together between shows
Thanks for listening! Tune in next week and don’t forget to take a minute to review the podcast. In this incredibly competitive podcasting world, every piece of feedback helps.
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Find out more about today’s guest, Charlie Benante.
Find out more about your host, Nick Terzo
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
@TheFrankBello [bassist for Anthrax]
@jonshadfall1 [Jon Donais, guitarist for Anthrax]
@officialKeef [Keith Richards]
@pilofficial [Public Image Ltd.]
@ButcherBabies [his girlfriend Carla's band]
@thelittleidiot [Moby]
@OFFICIALSTIG [Suicidal Tendencies]
@Z2comics [publisher of Anthrax's graphic novel]
@CoreyTaylorRock [from Slipknot, also comic writer]
@gerardway [comic writer]
@G_Nicotero [makeup effects]
@DarkMatter2521 [coffee distributor]
